As Arkansas Tech's volleyball team began working in earnest toward its 2004 season Monday, new head coach Kristy Kale decided that the Golden Suns should get together early and often.

Kale welcomed 13 players to the start of preseason workouts, which included three-a-day practice sessions throughout the inaugural week. Tech's first workout began at 8:30 a.m., followed by practices at 1:30 and 6 p.m. in the Hull Building.

"Having three-a-day practices is what I was used to doing at the school (Grand Valley State) where I used to play and was a coach for the past two seasons," Kale said following the afternoon workout. "I feel this is something we have to do because Tech starts school a week earlier than a lot of other schools, which means we have one less week of practice. I felt it was necessary, especially with a new system we're trying to use. We want to get a good assessment of this team, and multiple practices allow us to do that."

The three-a-day workouts provided the Suns with a quick test, but the results she saw from her players left Kale impressed.

"I was proud of the fact that these players showed a lot of energy in the practices," she said. "We sustained a pretty good level through the second practice, and our goal is to continue with that high level of intensity and be upbeat with a positive attitude.

"I thought the bright spots in the practice was that our players are very receptive. They are having to learn a lot of new things, and they're getting a lot of things thrown at them early. But they are doing the extra mile to learn. On the other side, there were some mistakes made because of the new things, and they're only going to get better from that."

The Suns are attempting to return to volleyball promience after a one-year hiatus from postseason play. Tech qualified for the Gulf South Conference postseason tournament on eight straight occasions and appeared in the championship match three times in the past four years before suffering a 4-25 finish last year, including winning only one league game.

Six players who saw extensive playing time last year return to this year's team. They include junior Kelly Allums of Spring, Texas; junior Andrea Bailey of Conway; junior Brandi Childers of Lewisville, Texas; sophomore Kate DiGrino of Macomb, Ill.; senior Erin Essink of Lincoln, Neb.; and sophomore Kalina Raines of Tomball, Texas..

They are joined by two players who redshirted last season - sophomore Laura Kennedy of Greenwood and junior Lauren Saulsberry of Socorro, N.M., by way of New Mexico Military Institute. The Suns' newcomers this year are freshman Courtney Collins of Joplin, Mo.; junior Leslie Goggans of Conway, by way of Southwest Missouri-West Plains; freshman Julie Lamb of Highland, Ill.; freshman Jamie Engel of Troy, Ill.; and freshman Rebecca Baker of Byron Center, Mich.

"All of our returning players have done a great job of making the new players feel welcome here, Kake said. "I'm sure the new players have some jitters about some things, but our upperclassmen are doing a good job of supporting."

After a week of three-a-day practices, the Suns will drop to two-a-days before having one practice when school starts Aug. 18. Tech will have a Green-and-Gold scrimmage on Aug. 22 before its season opener Aug. 27 in the Quincy (Ill.) University Classic.